Is new prius right for me??

I think a used or Pre-owned Prius costs almost the same. It may be a good idea to rent one for a weekend if you are not familiar with the car.

 

Unless you really like the Prius, any regular Toyota ( Camry, corolla or Yaris) can do the job. They are quite fuel efficient and if the 100 miles/ weekend that you mentioned is mostly highway, then Yes it wouldnt hurt to consider them. Now if money is not an issue, I would go for at least a Prius three.

 

Why is this in the Prius v forum???

If you only put a few thousand miles on the car each year then one of the "economy" cars may serve you better. The Ford Fiesta for example. That is as long as you don't option the hell out of it and wind up with a $19,000 car.

 

What "Prius v forum"?

 

The forum it was in before it got moved.

 

before what got moved?

 

Pre-owned might be listed with an asking close to the same as new, but the actual selling price is lower or they would never sell unless there were no new ones to buy. In the case or a real shortage of new, the new ones would be marked up above sticker and the used ones would still be less in comparison.
They can always ask for any price they want so the discount looks more dramatic.
Dealer retail list price on a used car is not a real selling price.

 

Used vs. new is up to you. 100mile commute probably means highway (I hope!) so the GenIII will be a better fit. So 2010 and 2011 models are what you should be looking for. Having said that, the whole range will do just fine.

Is it right for you? Well what do you want? Are you looking to reduce your fuel consumption or reduce your monthly expenses (not always equal). Are you wanting something reliable, or just something to buy and throw away in a couple years?

 

Economics says that a new (or gently used) G3 would probably not be the best car for you.
If your description is correct, you only knock down about 6000 miles a year.
If you have to have a car, and who in the City of Angels thinks that they do not have to have a car, then I'd probably be looking at something like a Festiva, or Elantra, or whatever car tickles your fancy.

OK...that's economics.
If you have this burning desire to get a Prius for whatever reason (you like the looks, you wanna be green, you want other people to think that you're being green, etc....) then I'd rent one for a weekend to fully explore all of the aspects of the Prius experience before kicking over 26+ kilobucks for one.
If you're just looking to put a check in the "got car" block, I'd explore other models as well.
Really.
You're only driving 6K per year. That's "greener" than most.
Right now....a really REALLY good deal for a new G3-II....or Two...or 2, or whatever they're calling the basic trim level this month is about 26,000 out the door.
Note: As I said in another post, this means tax, title, tag, dealer rip-off options, "doc" fees, and the first tank of gas.
IIRC....MSRP for an entry level G3 is 24.5K.
Pretty steep cash for an entry level 5-seater....oh, and good luck finding a G3 for 26K OTD in SOCAL.

I'm not trying to pour cold water on your aspirations of being a Prius owner---but in a down economy, one does not usually expect to have to pay MSRP for a new car.
Priuses are still in shortish supply from the tsunami, and there are other stressors on the supply out there on the left coast as well.

Good Luck!